Editor's note — The following published as a letter to the editor on Dec. 18, 2012.

After the recent article “Local Sub Shop reopens after health concerns” was published on Dec. 14, 2012, I feel that as the owner of the Subway shop, I need to clarify a few things to the community.

The health concerns that the article mentions was an isolated occurrence. We had prepared party platters for two local businesses that went out on the same day. There were some illnesses reported back to us and to the local health department one day after the food was eaten. The health department came in to our store to do an assessment report right away and we passed with flying colors.

All our temperatures for hot and cold food were within the proper requirements. They did not find any violations for food preparation. With further investigation by the health department, it was determined that the illnesses were passed on to the customers from one of our employees who had prepared the food that day.

She did not have any signs of being sick until the day after the food was prepared. The virus that she had can be in a person’s body for weeks before making a person sick, so she had no idea that she was a host for the virus. When she tested positive for the virus, she was suspended from work until a negative test comes back. The virus is a very common strain; and very easily passed from one person to the next.

I would like the community to know that we follow strict food handling and preparation procedures that are enforced by Corporate Subway with monthly inspections and by our local health department every six months. I chose to close my store for two days to thoroughly clean everything after finding out the employee had been sick. The sicknesses were not from wrongly prepared food or an unsanitary environment. But from something beyond our control and knowledge; from an employee who was unknowingly ill.

I want to thank the River Valley Community for their continuous patronage at Subway and hope that they will not let this isolated incident affect how they feel about Subway.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Lisa Altman and all of my Subway employees